Agonizing over Entering God's Kingdom

The Narrow Gate

Discipleship is a journey. The destination in that journey for us is the New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God. Luke’s gospel captures Jesus own journey to Jerusalem. Jesus journey was difficult he agonized along the way. He agonized with God in the garden about doing God’s will, when he prayed father not my will but yours be done.

Jesus agonized on the cross so the narrow gate to the Kingdom would be open, that all may come in.

We are on a journey traveling to New Jerusalem. Along the road we must be like Christ, and agonize over and actually do the will of God. Which is to live like Christ as we walk this road. As we walk this road may we agonize today to enter the narrow gate of the Kingdom.

Struggle to enter

* Chapter 13 crash course

No greater sinner in God’s eyes

produce fruit

God grows the invasive Kingdom of God.

Will only a few be saved?

Someone asked

Who is this someone? We don’t know scripture here doesn’t tell us. Perhaps it was someone who had been following Jesus on the sidelines since the start of Chapter 13.

Jesus here at the end of Chapter 13 again flips the question about multiple to personal.

Working out our own Salvation

Philippians 2:5–13 (NRSV)

5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Jesus answer

Work hard to enter the Narrow door. Agonize. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week or passion week. A week that we remember Jesus agonizing over doing God’s will. On his way to Jerusalem he calls the individual to agonize over entering the Narrow Door to the Kingdom.

Jesus is the gate, Jesus is the Way, Jesus is the Truth, Jesus is the Life.

John 10:9–10 NRSV

9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

John 14:6 NRSV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Who will enter this very narrow gate?

Matthew 7:21 NRSV

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

The Gospel of inclusion

Luke 5:27–31 NRSV

27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And he got up, left everything, and followed him. 29 Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick;

Luke has been the Gospel of inclusion. Jesus got back lash from those he chose to eat with from the religious leaders of his day. People the religious elite of his day would exclude from the temple.

Those we exclude will enter the Kingdom before us. Luke 13: 29

Luke 13:29 NRSV

29 Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God.

Will only a few be saved?

Worry more about whether you will be saved. Jesus example shows us we cannot exclude those he wishes to save and be doing the will of God at the same time. Excluding them denies them access to the grace they desperately need, that will change their life.

As we look forward to Christ triumphal entry into Jerusalem , lets agonize, work hard, and even struggle to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. May the prayer of our heart be the simple prayer of Christ as he agonized over the Father’s will. Father not my will but yours be done.

Journey to New Jerusalem

Jesus is traveling up to Jerusalem, he’s going to open the narrow gate that we can enter and join him in the Journey to the New Jerusalem. On the journey lets agonize over the will of God the Father in our lives and as a church. Let’s be like Jesus and no matter what God’s will calls us to, lets actually do it.

There will be a day when we finally get to the New Jerusalem and sit at God’s table. Let’s, follow Christ’s example and work hard to enter the narrow door.